maidenmole

Here’s another angle: the socials are commandeered by brands and sponsors that laud these “super human” feats (as one losing pro called it as she lamented with me around a fire at one particularly cold, misty, high latitude Ultra finish) that then leaves little space for others to call BS on the madness.

Yea, so the anecdotal evidence of out-of-comp-random-arrive-unannounced-at-your-door-in-the-middle-of-the-night are plentiful (many local pro’s share this on their IG) BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT so part of the issue then is the disconnect between these sneaky tests and actual results that turn into sanctions. Tjoep still in the Karoo.

“Of late” includes this weekend, last weekend, and a few months recently, mostly within the Gregorian concept of ‘this year’.

Has SAIDS been MIA lately? Haven’t seen them at races or no new sanctions. Asking because there’s a certain MTBer sweeping up titles and prize money of late that’s raised a few eyebrows.

My nephew was hit by a car in 2016. Court date is only this week. Attorney's will take a chunk of claims if they feel case will be successful. In short: you'll wait a long time. Also, RAF are broke ... future is uncertain.

Thanks for putting this out there Furbz. I think you're spot. I'm technically fresh, but have no legs - RPE is fubar. My HRV has been so low and variable too, which is certainly not training stress related, but defintely life stressor linked. The stress of lockdown is multi-faceted in how I'm feeling it: existential angst around our physiological needs (see Maslow's hierarchy) puts us under immense anxiety, work stress to try and manage workload (or create work for lack of it), homeschooling the kids, all the uncertainty of where to next and limited relatedness that our brains are used to (these are things that neurological put us in an 'away state'). Then there's a crap load of data, information and polarising opinions that we've got to content with too.

Come join us in Zwift guys. Over 100ppl registered already and close on R20k in funds raised for SA Harvest. We're riding 5x Pretzel route to get 361kms - the objective isn't to mimic the 36one challenge as much to ride 360kms+ while in lockdown.

Spots aren't limited (we won't be using a Zwift meetup), so we can have any number of riders pull in.

Looking at the forecasts, I'm thinking of wearing my windbreaker backwards, zip half open.

Aren't the GLA doing it for the Repeat too?

Can't say I'm a fan of the rocky road bung fight after we enter reserve gate to get to the old CP2, so ja, will maybe make for less congestion.

Would the race vets mind commenting on the new CP2 positioning? Can't say I've seen Zandvlakte before.

As long as that alu has bar ends and toe clips, right?

But, it must also be said, you kinda need someone to support you there in the Namib. There are no boxes and CP 4 has f*okol for solo riders.

Despite the similar distances they are very different races. DD has something very special about it. The world's oldest desert. The moon landscape. The awesome support. The great organisation. The 24hr cut-off is very doable, but unlike 36one, you have to work for every km ... no luxurious, long downhills to freewheel down. Heat and wind are big differences too, but you've got enough time to lose some weight and heat acclimation can be done with the right protocol from 7 days before the event. The DD is a great experience. Pull the trigger on that entry come Monday.

So ... 1. General sentiment was that for some or other reason this year was harder than recent years . 2. The moonlight made for an amazing evening ride experience. Never seen the terrain like that before, nor my shadow from the moon so clearly. 3. Waterpoint water was absolutely k@k. Brackish with a heavy hand of chlorine dosed in. Ugh, made my stomach turn a few times. 4. Wasn't as cold as expected, over dressed from halfway onwards. 5. Starting in the dark now brought out all the group riding n00bs as we hit the dirt. Guy went down in front of me. Think I left an Ikon tread pattern in his cheek.

Nah, bump away gents. I'm pretty grateful you've bumped this gold of a thread into my world. Nuts.

I've been riding an e13 TRS+ since October and have gone through 3 casettes and 4 chains. The steel cassette portion cogs seems to wear exceptionally quickly, even forming flanges on the teeth after sprints. They warrantied the one for me, but eish, not sure they harden the steel properly.

Dion Guy at www.paincave.co.za

There's this Hardegat Trophy that now lures me back I guess for the 5th time, but to start training now already? #toosoon. #can'tdeal

Awfully quiet in these parts partydave. Why could that be? I suspect no one heard you post that question - we're all still deaf after 175kms of headwind into the ear canals. Or we're all still blind after the dust thrown up by support vehicles passing us on Us Pass descent (what overtaking rules?). I missed the brannas suiping dronk okes normally attending to us at the Stage 4 WP. Unless they had passed out already in the back of their bakkies? The new disco at the Stage 5 WP was a nice surprise. Those ladies were jamming. There was no riding line in the sand on Stage 6, except if you bundu bashed 100m to your left. The 4kms extra on the pavement were a bit necessary I think. Kinda miss Tiger Reef as a finish - even if the waves washes over us on the pallets. Personally, I'm a bit disappointed that solo prize money only goes to Top 5 now. Kinda takes away some of the appeal of the event for me. But otherwise, it's always a special event. Well organised. Highly recommended.

You mean the Stravistix add-on? I use it often, but find it limited, so I end up using it alongside Golden Cheetah and Xert at the same time.

Half day for you, just over two solid days for RB.

Friday cheer, thanks!

http://richardbaxter.co.za/